Mother and Son by Ivy Compton-Burnett

Author:Ivy Compton-Burnett
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2013-01-28T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter VII

“Aunt Miranda is dead,” said Adrian, and broke into tears.

“Yes, yes, I know, my boy,” said Mr. Pettigrew. “The news came in time to prevent my coming to you yesterday. It is a sad break-up for you all.”

“Things are to go on in the same way.”

“But to you they cannot be the same.”

“Miss Wolsey is to be here instead of Aunt Miranda.”

“But to you she cannot take her place, good though her intentions will doubtless be.”

“I expect she will think more about us.”

Mr. Pettigrew looked a question.

“Cousin Rosebery thought you ought not to come until after the funeral.”

“I should not have done so, unless I had received a message. But I had one from your uncle, asking me to come as usual.”

“He said it was better for us to be occupied.”

“And I think it is,” said Mr. Pettigrew, looking at his pupil. “So we will attend to his wish.”

“Will Pettigrew be paid for the day he did not come?” said Adrian, in an aside.

“Come, come, the occasion is not a usual one,” said Mr. Pettigrew, suggesting what he accepted as this. “You seem to have a sense of it, and you should behave accordingly.”

“It is that, that makes him self-conscious,” said Alice.

The tutor looked at Adrian in enlightenment.

“It doesn’t,” said the latter. “I don’t think about myself.”

“Then you are an unusual person. Not that I should rank myself amongst those most subject to the tendency.”

“Will you go to Aunt Miranda’s funeral?”

“I shall be occupied with my work. Otherwise I should have been happy to attend.”

“Ought we to be happy at a funeral?”

“I think you do not misunderstand my use of the word.”

“Francis is going with Uncle and Rosebery.”

“It marks a step towards manhood for you, Francis. And I do not mean simply this observance. The change will take you all a step further in your lives.”

“Will it take you one too?” said Adrian.

“I am not so intimately concerned. But it will end a relationship that I valued as happy and familiar.”

“I think Aunt Miranda thought you ought to value it.”

“I have just stated that I did so.”

“Did she ever threaten to dismiss you?”

“I think, Adrian, that the emotions of the occasion have been too much for you.”

“She was supposed to insult the people she employed.”

“In the sense probably that she was obliged at times to remonstrate with her servants. It would hardly apply to other relationships. And in my professional capacity I have dealt with your uncle.”

“I knew he paid for our education. Perhaps Aunt Miranda would not have given us any.”

“Then he would wish you to profit by it. And you will turn your attention to doing so.”

“Will you be more at ease here, now that Aunt Miranda is gone?”

“Adrian, I can only think that must be the case with yourself.”

“So you suspected we were not at ease with her?”

“Miss Alice, do you think that Adrian is fit for his work to-day?”

“I expect it is the best thing for him.”

“I am inclined to agree. It may do him good to concentrate.

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